1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to games of chance such as would be found in casinos and other legal gambling establishments. In particular, this invention relates to a system for placing varied wagers on a gaming device, wherein a single gaming device provides a wide array of wagering options for a player.
2. Background and Related Art
In those areas that accommodate legalized gambling, there is a constant demand and need for new and improved games of chance to attract players to casinos and other gambling establishments. At the same time, casinos and gambling establishments constantly research novel ways to accommodate the player.
One popular game that has long been enjoyed by players is the slot machine. Conventionally, the slot machine is configured for a player to input something of value (e.g., a standard denomination of currency or house token) to permit the player to activate the gaming device. Upon activation, a plurality of reels spin and ultimately stop to display a series of symbols. If a winning symbol or combination of symbols is displayed, the machine releases money into a payout chute or onto a credit meter.
Payout is defined as xe2x80x9cany type of return upon winning a game of chancexe2x80x9d. Examples of a payout include, but are not limited to: coins, tokens, cash, credit on a card and any other type of compensation. Payout is determined by the amount wagered by the player at the beginning of the game and the odds of certain symbols or combination of symbols being displayed by the gaming machine.
Although there are numerous types of slot machines, conventionally a player must select a machine according to the amount that the player would like to wager. For example, if a player chooses a Five-Coin Slot Machine, the player wagers a single xe2x80x98coinxe2x80x99 at a time by selecting a xe2x80x9cbet onexe2x80x9d button or the player can bet a maximum of five xe2x80x98coinsxe2x80x99 at one time by selecting a xe2x80x9cmax betxe2x80x9d button. If a player selects to wager the maximum bet at one time and is successful, the maximum bet payout includes an extra reward (ie: an increase in coins or payout received) in addition to the regular payout increment.
A Ten-Coin Slot Machine also exists in the prior art. This machine is identical to the Five-Coin Slot Machine, except that a player can wager a maximum bet of ten coins by selecting the xe2x80x9cmax betxe2x80x9d button or the player may place a wager in single increments, up to ten coins, by selecting the xe2x80x9cbet onexe2x80x9d button. If a player wishes to place a wager amount between one and nine coins while playing a Ten-Coin Slot Machine, the player must press the xe2x80x9cbet onexe2x80x9d button multiple times to reach the desired wager. However, a player may not place a wager higher than the amount associated with the xe2x80x9cmax betxe2x80x9d button. Furthermore, the xe2x80x9cbet onexe2x80x9d button and xe2x80x9cmax betxe2x80x9d button are mutually exclusive and can not be used in combination with each other.
Unfortunately, use of these prior art gambling systems incurs numerous problems for a player and the gambling establishment itself. Ten-Coin Slot Machines are not popular with players of the Five-Coin Slot Machines because the Ten-Coin Slot Machine requires the player to push the xe2x80x9cbet onexe2x80x9d button five times to achieve a five coin wager which slows down the game. More importantly, the Ten-Coin Slot Machine only pays the regular payout increment on a five coin wager without the five coin premium paid on the top award of the Five-Coin Slot Machines. Therefore, a player placing a five coin wager on a Ten-Coin Slot Machine is penalized for not betting ten coins. This problem is not limited to slot machines alone and is often found in other gaming devices such as: video poker machines, video roulette machines and video blackjack machines. It would therefore be desirable to provide a machine that allows video gambling players to determine the size of their wager, and in addition, does not penalize players according to the amount of their wager.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to give a player the ability to place their wager in increments greater than a unit monetary amount, but less than or equal to the maximum monetary amount.
Another object of the invention is to allow a player to take advantage of an enhanced payout on preselected multiple monetary amount(s) in addition to the maximum monetary amount capable of being wagered.
Yet another object of one embodiment of the invention is to give a player a range of wagering options which ultimately pays out a higher award.
Still another object of the invention is to maximize floor space in a casino or gambling establishment.
In accordance with these novel aspects of the present invention and others aspects which will become apparent below, the wager control system of the present invention is based on a processor and a plurality of wager selection devices. The wager selection device enables a player to determine the value of a wager by selecting to increment a wager by a single amount or a multiple amount. This system for placing a wager can be used with conventional games of chance. Examples include, but are not limited to: blackjack, slot roulette, poker, any game involving dice or cards or any wagering occasion in general, whether in conventional or video format. This system is not limited to video gambling machines. The system can also be incorporated within a conventional gaming table.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the system is incorporated into a slot machine gaming device for use by a single player. The system includes a processor for arithmetically calculating a wager and the possible payout, a single wager selection device, and a multiple wager selection device, wherein the wager selection devices are accessible to the player and communicate with the processor.
The single wager selection device is used by the player to electrically indicate to the processor that a single coin wager has been placed. The multiple wager selection device allows a player to place multiple wagers of a maximum monetary amount (i.e., ten tokens). Furthermore, the multiple wager selection device can be used in conjunction with the single wager device. Therefore, a player could place a wager of twenty tokens by selecting the multiple wager selection device twice or by selecting the single wager device twenty times. Similarly, a player could place a wager of twelve tokens by selecting the multiple wager selection device once and the single wager selection device twice, or by selecting the single wager device twelve times.
In another embodiment of the invention, the system includes a processor for arithmetically calculating a wager and a payout, a single wager selection device, a multiple wager selection device and a max wager selection device, wherein the three wager selection devices communicate with the processor. The single wager selection device is used by the player to electrically indicate to the processor that a single token wager has been placed. The multiple wager selection device allows a player to increase their wager in increments of a predetermined monetary amount at a single time (i.e., five tokens) and the maximum wager selection device allows a player to wager the maximum monetary amount possible.
In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the bet selection devices are incorporated in a touch screen liquid crystal display (LCD). The touch screen LCD""s can be hand held or mounted on an object.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the system for placing a wager is incorporated into a gaming table.
Still another embodiment of the present invention involves an apparatus comprising: a housing unit, a game of chance, a game display, an activation device such as a handle, a currency slot and a plurality of wager selection devices for enabling a player to place varied wagers.